Dear Diary 😊

A couple of friends asked me recently if I was going to the Guild of Music Supervisors Conference this Saturday (August 15, 2026) here in Los Angeles at West Los Angeles College (Culver City to be exact). And I realized I hadn’t really thought about it or decided whether I wanted to go.

I’m a Guild member and do my best to attend their events. I’m always interested in what’s happening in our business and support their endeavors.

But I still had that moment of: Should I go? So I started thinking about it and weighing my options. Honestly, I think most folks have some version of that conversation in their heads when deciding whether to go to an event.

And somewhere in that very ordinary decision, I realized I’ve become much more intentional about the events I attend than I used to be.

So that’s what got me thinking: Should I Go to This Event? Or Should I Just Stay Home? How should I spend my time?

The Reason You Show Up Changes

When I was younger in the business, I went to almost everything. Concert? Conference? Mixer? Movie? Party? Dinner and drinks afterward? Apparently I didn’t need to sleep.

And honestly, some of the relationships I made during those years became friendships and professional relationships that have lasted decades.

But at some point, the reason you show up starts to change. Because going to an industry event isn’t just about putting something on your calendar anymore. There are a few factors.

It takes time and energy. Sometimes money. And the worst one of all? Driving across Los Angeles—which, depending on traffic and which direction you’re going, can occasionally feel like its own expedition. It’s hell on wheels at times and IYKYK. (Wink wink to anyone who lives in LA!)

Plus, if you’re already juggling work deadlines, projects, clients, family, kids, dogs, laundry, going to the gym, and whatever else life has decided to throw at you that week, a full Saturday is a real commitment.

So How Do I Decide?

Years ago, a friend of mine who had been promoted to a senior position at a major record label asked me, “Do I still need to go to this event?” He was speaking specifically about a music convention and had reached a point where he needed to ask himself: Did he still need to go to some of the events he used to go to? It wasn’t arrogance, and he didn’t think he was above anyone. In fact, he was really having a hard time figuring out whether he should go or not. His job and career trajectory had changed, and the way he needed to spend his time had changed with it.

Naturally, the events that make sense can change as your career changes.

On the other hand, sometimes the answer is simple: yes. No more discussion is needed.

However, I realized I ask myself a few questions before I say yes. First, of course, I check my calendar. Then it’s:

What’s the event?

That sounds ridiculously obvious, but I think this is important.

Who’s throwing it? Date, time? Place? Is it possible to get there on time depending on where and when? (Again, LA traffic)

I need to make choices based on the hat I’m wearing—either Music Supervisor for Soul Sonic Music or Publisher of American Music + Media. There are personal events too, but I’d like to keep this focused on business events.

Who’s going?

What’s the vibe? Is it my professional community? Is it people doing interesting work? Is it a room where I’m hoping to have good conversations?

Sometimes I know. Sometimes I don’t. And sometimes not knowing is part of the fun. You never know! I love bumping into people at random places.

What is the purpose of the event?

I think problems happen when we expect one kind of event to deliver the experience of another.

Different rooms can serve different purposes.

A friend recently called because he’s coming into town and passed an idea by me about putting on a gathering together. During this conversation (I was doing most of the talking ‘cause I’m from Jersey!), we realized we approach curating events differently.

I’ve hosted the Golden Hour mixers for 4 years now, and personally, I prefer to curate the invitation list. People are personally invited, or someone I know invites them.

He likes to open his events up publicly and whoever finds it is welcome to join. He told me an incredible story about how he met one of his best friends at one of his events. Hold on - how great is that? I love that story!

We’re ultimately doing the same thing: bringing people in our community together. However, there might be a different vibe and people in attendance. The way an event is put together affects the kind of room it becomes.

What am I hoping to get out of the event?

This could include learning something, creating or building relationships, meeting new and current clients, or just connecting with the community.

I might need to cover an article or news topic for American Music + Media.

And sometimes there is good food. Hey - let’s not pretend that has never influenced a decision!

In this case, am I going for the content and/or the community? This was actually an important part of my decision about going to the Guild conference.

Yes, there are panels and conversations I’m interested in. But ultimately, I decided to go because I want to support the Guild. I’m a member of this community. And showing up is important.

You can read a press release or read a social post about it, but there’s something SO different about actually being there in person. Post-pandemic, I don’t take these outings for granted anymore.

Maybe you’ve been working alone for a few days and need to see another human being who isn’t on Zoom.

All valid.

And finally: Will I enjoy myself?

This sounds obvious, but I think we forget to ask: Would I actually enjoy being there?

There are plenty of legitimate business reasons to attend events, but we’re also human beings.

This one probably matters more to me now than it did years ago. Because the event doesn’t necessarily need a measurable ROI.

And sometimes you look at the invitation and think: Nope. Sweatpants.

Also a valid choice.

What Are You Going to Do With Your Time?

On my birthday about 10 years ago, an former boss said something I’ve never forgotten:

“What are you going to do with the time you have left?”

Well… holy mackerel. Thanks for the light conversation. 😂

It sounds dramatic, but I understood what he meant. Our time matters. And the older I get, the more aware I am of it and the more intentional I am about how I spend it—not because every hour has to produce something, but because I want the things I say yes to actually mean something to me.

If I’m working, I want the work to matter. If I’m spending time with people, I want to actually be present. If I’m going somewhere, I want to understand why I’m going.

That doesn’t mean everything has to generate revenue or advance my career.

Absolutely not.

The most valuable moments in this business have had nothing to do with money. They could be having a really good laugh and enjoying the moment, seeing someone I haven’t seen in years, or meeting somebody completely unexpected.

These are the things that matter most. Maybe more than we realize at the time.

Which brings me back to Saturday.

I’m going to the Guild of Music Supervisors conference.

Once I actually thought about why I would go, the decision became pretty clear. I’m a member of the Guild and I care about our community and I want to support it. Plus, this conference only happens once a year.

The Guild is largely powered by people volunteering their time and energy. The board, committees, volunteers, Friends of the Guild, sponsors and everyone involved in putting on a conference like this are doing a tremendous amount of work behind the scenes. I truly respect their efforts and appreciate them.

I also want to see my colleagues, and I enjoy meeting new people.

Plus, as publisher of American Music + Media, events like the Guild conference also matter because I want to see what’s happening firsthand. I want to hear what people are talking about. I want to understand what issues are coming up. I want to highlight the work people are doing.

So there are actually several reasons for me to be there.

And frankly, I work from my home office most of the time and I need to get out. There. I said it.

Your reason might be business. And sometimes the thing that makes an event worthwhile isn’t whatever was written on the invitation. Maybe it’s the conversation you have standing in the hallway, or seeing the person you haven’t seen in a while, or meeting a new person. Or maybe you hear something that sparks an idea and sends your brain somewhere completely unexpected. Or just the reminder that you’re part of a community you actually care about.

All of these are perfectly legitimate reasons. There doesn’t have to be some giant strategic agenda attached to everything.

Maybe that’s really the point of all of this. I don’t have to go to everything. And no one needs a massive career objective every time you leave the house.

But I do think it helps to understand why you’re saying yes.

Before automatically saying yes or no, maybe ask yourself:
Why would I go? If you have a good answer, put on your shoes (and don’t forget some clothes!) and get out the door.

Because sometimes the most valuable thing you get out of an event isn’t on the schedule at all. It’s simply being in the room.

See you next Wednesday.

— Jacquie

P.S. - If you’re interested in learning more about the conference or want to attend in-person or virtually, here’s the link:

https://www.gmsmediaconference.com/

Hope to see you there! Be sure to stop me and say hello!

Dear Diary 😊 Comparison is a funny thing.

About a week ago, I went to a music industry party at a beautiful home in the Hollywood Hills. It was hosted by the founder of a music company and her husband. Stunning house. Warm hosts. Great people. Just an all-around wonderful evening.

I invited a longtime friend to come with me. We used to work together, and today he runs his own successful company.

We walked in, and it was such an inviting space—you could tell they’d put a lot of love and energy into it. We had a great time, the food was amazing, and everyone was in high spirits.

As we were leaving, we were talking about how incredible the night was, and then my friend said something like, “This really puts things in perspective.”

I don’t remember his exact words, so I asked him what he meant. He made a reference to how nice the house was, but I could feel that he was comparing more than just the square footage.

I stopped him right there: don’t go there. He runs his own company. He’s successful in his own right. Comparing his life to a snapshot of someone else’s living room is apples to oranges.

Since then, I’ve kept thinking about that moment. It reminded me of so many other conversations where people catch themselves doing the exact same thing—measuring their chapter against someone else’s highlight reel.

When I hear that kind of negative self-talk creeping in, I usually say a version of what I told my friend that night: we are exactly where we’re meant to be. Comparing ourselves to someone else rarely makes sense because we’re playing completely different games.

Plus, we don’t actually know what’s going on behind the scenes.

At any given moment, all we’re really seeing is the outside layer—four walls and a couch, a great car, or just a smile that hides a heavy day. We don’t know what people are carrying when the music stops and the crowd goes home. We’ve all learned, time and again, that appearances tell us almost nothing about a person’s actual peace of mind.

I don’t care what someone else’s house looks like, because it’s not where I live. I care about my house, and that’s where I keep my focus. What someone else has going on is none of my business—and honestly, it’s none of anyone else’s either.

It reminded me of a classic takeaway from The Millionaire Next Door — which inspired a piece I wrote recently on what real wealth actually looks like. Real wealth often looks completely different from what we imagine, and chasing appearances rarely leads to peace of mind.

There’s a story about a CEO in Japan who still cleans his own toilets—not because he has to, but because it keeps him humble. Keeps him “right-sized,” as they say. Success isn’t about proving anything to anyone else. It’s about staying grounded enough to enjoy the life you’ve actually built.

I don’t “compare and despair” these days. Maybe I did when I was younger. Today, I’m just curious. I might have a passing thought about where I’m at, and then I move on with my day.

Everyone is playing a completely different game with a completely different set of goals.

The biggest takeaway here is simply to stay focused on your own path. Celebrate other people’s wins. Let’s root for each other—not just for the job titles or the money, but for the amazing lives we get to lead while enjoying the journey together.

If you ever catch yourself slipping into comparison mode, pause for a second.

- Take a walk.

- Go to the gym.

- Meditate.

- Read a great book.

- Watch something that inspires you.

- Call a friend.

Do something that reminds you of your own amazing life instead of peering in the window of someone else’s.

And if you’re genuinely unhappy with where you are… sit with that feeling for a minute instead of running from it. Sometimes it’s telling you something is ready to shift. And sometimes, once you actually look at it, you realize you’re far more at peace than you thought.

At the end of the day, we’re all just human beings living our own unique version of this life, doing the best we can to keep it running smoothly.

Looking forward to seeing you again next week 🌟

Jacquie

Dear Diary 😊

After a few conversations recently with three dear friends, I realized they were all basically talking about the same thing. On top of that, I’ve heard versions of this same conversation repeatedly over the past month or so. It seems to be on a lot of people’s minds, which made me think this was a good time to talk about it.

None of my friends actually used the words for it. They were simply describing what was going on for them.

But I realized what they were talking about.

Here’s the thing: these aren’t people just starting out. They’ve each spent decades working in the entertainment business. Two currently in significant positions. The other is between gigs and trying to figure out what their next chapter should look like.

Different careers. Different circumstances. Same underlying feeling.

As I listened, I found myself saying versions of the same thing:

“You know how much experience you have, right?”

“You know how many people you’ve helped?”

“You know you’re really good at what you do?”

And somewhere in the middle of those conversations, I caught myself smiling because I realized...

I’ve had to give myself that same pep talk more than once over the years.

And I don’t think we talk about this enough in our industry. So I’m going to talk about it.

The music and entertainment business is a funny place.

One day you’re sitting in a room with presidents, CEOs, award-winning producers, artists, or filmmakers.

The next day a project ends, a company restructures, someone gets laid off, or the phone doesn’t ring.

It’s a business built on momentum.

When things are moving, they’re moving fast.

When they slow down, they can slow down overnight—and stay that way for a while.

I think that’s one of the reasons imposter syndrome shows up so often. Not because people aren’t talented—but because this industry has a way of making even talented people question themselves.

(Image: https://www.sayerstrainingservices.com/blog/imposter-syndrome-courage-and-curiosity)

I remember one of the first times I felt it. And believe me, I was usually one of the most confident people in the room. So when this happened, it was a pivotal moment that I’ve never forgotten.

I was in my early twenties and had been appointed Director of National Promotion at Motown Records. Big job. Big title. Great team. Great memories.

Looking back now, it’s kind of crazy.

I hadn’t worked at a major label before, but I had already had experience at a major radio station and then at a major trade magazine, building relationships and learning as I went.

What was new wasn’t the work.

It was the room.

One day, Oscar Fields, the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the label, invited me to attend an executive meeting. Oscar always supported me throughout my career and became a good friend.

I remember walking into that conference room like it was yesterday. Sitting around the table were some of the most respected and groundbreaking executives in the business. Full stop.

Imagine Jheryl Busby (President and CEO), Berry Gordy, Clarence Avant, Oscar Fields, my direct boss Frank Turner—who was SVP of Promotion—and the other department heads. Probably 10 to 15 people in total, all sitting around one large conference room table.

This is what movies are made of!

I was engrossed in the conversation. I honestly thought I had been invited to listen, learn, and better understand the company.

I was perfectly happy doing exactly that.

Just a reminder: I was only about 24 years old at the time.

Then somebody turned to me—in dramatic fashion—and said:

“Jacquie, what do you think?”

EVERYONE turned in their seats to look at me.

I remember thinking:

Wait... what?

Deer in headlights. I can think of a million funny things to say here, but we’ll just move on.

For a split second, I froze.

Then I did what all of us eventually learn to do.

I took a breath.

I collected my thoughts.

And I answered the question to the best of my ability.

What’s funny is that nobody in that room questioned my response or whether I belonged there.

Looking back, my mind had not yet caught up to the fact that I really had the experience and knowledge—and that I might actually have something valuable to contribute to Motown’s business.

For a second, I was thinking, Holy shit. I’m sitting in this room with the big guys.

But that was a pivotal moment for me—and the first time I remember experiencing what we now call imposter syndrome.

Whatever I said apparently went over well. More importantly, it gave me a moment to reflect, move forward, and understand that I was exactly where I was meant to be. I did belong in the room.

The older I get, the more I realize imposter syndrome isn’t really about experience.

It’s about perspective.

I’ve met people with decades of experience who quietly wonder if they’re still good enough.

I’ve met incredibly talented artists who don’t think they’re talented.

I’ve met executives who worry someone is going to discover they don’t have all the answers.

Here’s a little secret...

None of us has all the answers.

Seriously. We’re all still figuring things out—in different ways and at different levels.

Some of us just have more years of experience figuring things out than others.

I would like to meet the person who knows it all. If you’re that person, I want to talk to you!

Something else has changed for me over the years.

When I was younger, my title meant a lot to me.

Director.

Vice President.

Executive.

Those titles felt like proof that I belonged. See? That’s my title. That’s where I work. Clearly, I know what I’m doing.

Today, I don’t see it that way.

Titles are important. Sure, they tell people what role you’re serving.

But they aren’t who you are.

You’re not your business card.

You’re not your LinkedIn headline.

You’re not your current job—or your last one. And you are not somehow less valuable because you’re between jobs.

You are more than any title. You have interests, relationships, and a life beyond work.

You have the trust you’ve earned.

You have the problems you’ve solved.

You have the people you’ve helped.

You have experience nobody can take away from you.

That’s where our real value lives—and it’s part of what makes us better at what we actually do.

These days, if I walk into a room and feel a little nervous, I don’t panic about it. I don’t assume that feeling means I don’t belong. It’s okay. We all get nervous sometimes.

Before I walk in, I usually ground myself by saying, “Snap out of it!”

Just kidding!

Take two: before I leave home, I usually meditate.

Then I walk in and smile. Someone smiles back. It’s a win!

Then I focus on something much more important than myself.

The people in the room.

Because at the end of the day, this business has never really been about being the smartest person in the room.

It’s about showing up.

Listening.

Learning.

Contributing.

Building relationships.

Helping people.

Those conversations with my friends reminded me of something I think we all need to hear once in a while.

Sometimes we need someone else to remind us of who we are and what we can forget about ourselves at times.

Maybe that’s why I wanted to write this today.

Not because I have imposter syndrome all figured out.

I don’t.

But because if three accomplished friends could unknowingly describe that same feeling to me within a short period of time...

...I have a feeling we’re not the only ones.

So, the next time that feeling shows up, think about this:

How do I separate a period of uncertainty or fear from the value and experience I’ve built over the course of my career?

Because a feeling does not erase everything that came before it.

One last thought...

Don’t compare yourself to everyone else’s highlight reel—especially on LinkedIn or social media. Someone else’s promotion, new job, award, or big announcement doesn’t diminish your experience or your value.

We all have different paths, different timing, and different opportunities. There isn’t just one seat at the table.

Celebrate other people’s wins. Then get back to your own purpose and keep building your future.

Your journey is yours.

Call a friend. Go to the gym. Watch a sunset. Or simply do something good for yourself.

You deserve it.

I look forward to seeing you next Wednesday.

Have a great week!

— Jacquie

Confession up top: I didn’t publish last week. It was my birthday week, and I told myself I was “busy.” A friend called me out on it — if I say I’m publishing every week, then I publish every week. She’s right. Lesson learned. Onward!

Back to the book - here’s a short summary, for anyone who hasn’t read it: “The Millionaire Next Door” by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko (originally published in 1996) turns the common idea of wealth upside down. Based on years of research, the authors found that many millionaires don’t live flashy lifestyles — they often drive practical cars, live in modest homes, and build wealth by consistently spending less than they earn, saving, and investing over time. The book’s biggest message is that real wealth isn’t about looking successful; it’s about creating financial freedom.

It has nothing to do with career strategizing on my part. But looking back, it turns out I’ve apparently been operating by most of these rules for years without reading the book. Who knew?!

Titles Tell Nothing About Someone’s Finances

In this (and many other types of) business, people get impressed by titles fast. President of a label. Head of a company. Big agent, big producer, big executive — and suddenly everyone assumes that person has it all figured out.

We don’t know that. We don’t know their debt, their spending, whether they have a dollar saved or invested. A big title is not the same thing as financial stability. Someone pulling in millions can be completely underwater. Someone making a normal salary can be quietly building a huge nest egg. I don’t assume that a person is a big baller just because they’ve got the title or are famous, have a Lambo or Mercedes G-Wagon, or dress fancy.

There Are Two Careers

There’s the job everyone can see, and there’s someone’s actual financial life. Those are two different scorecards, and this book made this so clear to me. A person can have an incredible résumé and be a financial mess. They can have a completely ordinary job and be sitting on good investments.

This matters even more in entertainment because nothing here is stable. Jobs end. Companies restructure. People lose their seats overnight. Artists fall out of favor. I know this personally — my own career has gone up, down, around, and up again. Director. Then to VP. Then to the next project. A financial life has to exist on its own, separate from whatever title someone is carrying this year, because that title can disappear a lot faster than one can think.

Your Job is Not Your Identity

I started working in this business as a teenager — interning on TV shows in high school, part-time jobs doing everything from transcription to production assistant, then landing a job at Power 106 Radio in Los Angeles when I was around 17 or 18 years old. I was so young! And I really didn’t have any experience in business or money matters. Crazy how time flies!

But somewhere along the way I learned that my job was not who I am. It’s a part of what I do.

When you lose a title in this business, it can feel like you’ve lost a piece of yourself — especially in an industry where identity can get so tangled up with what we do for a living. I’m here to tell you it’s not. Your knowledge, your relationships, your judgment, your reputation — those are the important parts that stay with you. They compound, just like an investment account, whether you’re employed at the moment or not.

In fact, I was discussing this exact thing with a friend who I’ve known since we both started in the radio business — this was such a long time ago and he’s still one of my dear friends. How lucky am I?

Reputation Compounds Like An Asset

Another one of my oldest friends taught me something early in my career without even meaning to. He now runs one of the biggest record labels, and there are many reasons why. He’d ask me things like, “Hey, do you mind if I expense this lunch?” Small stuff. Is that important? No, not really, but that’s the way he operated and still does. It was the first time I saw anyone modeling that kind of transparency, integrity, and respect. I started doing it too, not perfectly, but doing it. I’ve heard a few major artists say he’s the only person they’ll work with in this business, and I understand why. It doesn’t matter what his job title is — he acts from a place of values and integrity, and that’s what matters.

People watch how someone works — whether they’re reliable, whether they listen, whether they keep their word. That builds trust, and trust is the thing that actually compounds in this business. When someone refers a person for a project or a job, they’re putting their own reputation behind them. That is an enormous act of trust and should not be taken lightly.

Lifestyle Inflation Is The Trap Nobody Names

This industry basically trains people to inflate their lifestyle. The raise comes, the deal comes, the bigger client comes — the apartment gets bigger...then the house, then the car, then the trips, then the dinners that aren’t even enjoyed but somehow keep happening. I did some version of that when I was younger. More money came in, so I spent more. Nobody sat me down and explained that earning money and building wealth are two completely different skills. I had to learn over the years.

It’s not that buying nice things is the problem. The problem is treating every raise like it requires a matching upgrade in how you live.

You Don’t Have To “Look Rich”

Some of the wealthiest and most brilliant people I’ve met in this business look completely normal. What does “normal” even look like nowadays anyway? Basically, they don’t advertise their wealth. I know people with seriously insane money who still drive a car that’s unremarkable, still down to earth, generous, and low-key. And I also know people who’ve made hundreds of millions of dollars and blown through nearly all of it. From the outside, it would be impossible to know which one is which.

Quiet Confidence

I’m all about success. I’m all about nice things, good trips, and beautiful homes. However, I don’t need the Rolex, the Porsche, or the Birkin to make me who I am. Anyone can buy those things if they actually want them. That’s not the point. The point is not confusing luxury with wealth. I’m against the idea that success has to be performed for other people.

Quiet confidence comes from knowing your own values and not needing your possessions to explain your worth to a room. It also comes from actually having something saved — because that’s what gives you real freedom.

Money Buys Options, Not Stuff

The real value of money isn’t what it purchases — it gives options. The freedom to leave a job that’s toxic. To say no to the wrong job. To survive the gap between jobs. To start a business. To take care of family. To change industries and businesses. To take time off. That’s real wealth, and it has nothing to do with what’s parked in a driveway.

Not being desperate changes every decision you make. It changes the vibe of every room you walk into.

Learn This As Early As Possible

Nobody explained finances, money management, or investing to me. It just wasn’t a conversation, at least not one I was in the room for. I’m making sure that’s different here and now. And for my son. He’s sixteen, just got his first job at Trader Joe’s, and we talk openly about money. Track what comes in, track what goes out, understand the habits, save, and learn how investing actually works. Not perfection — just awareness, starting now.

The Richest Person in the Room Isn’t Always Obvious

Entertainment and social media constantly sell one version of success: clothes, jewelry, money, houses, cars, access. But is that what wealth is really about? It might feel good for a moment, but it's stuff — and stuff says nothing about the person behind it. Everyone gets to decide what success actually means for them, and that can happen at any point in a career. It starts by making it a conscious choice and living it every day. Not everyone wants the same thing, and it's important to understand what you stand for.

For me, success is spending time with my son, doing work that is meaningful, being there for my friends, sleeping well, going on adventures, and being generous and kind. That's what wealth looks like to me. Everything else is just gift wrap.

Build Optionality & Freedom, Not Just Wealth

I’m not a financial planner, and this isn’t investment advice. I’m not here to promote this book and this isn’t sponsored, but I believe “The Millionaire Next Door” is a must-read for anyone, whether they’re 20 or 50+. There are serious life lessons here, no matter where one is in life or career.

Financial freedom isn't about never working again. It's about being able to choose your next move without letting fear make the decision for you.

The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second-best time is now.

Jacquie

P.S. — This must be a book month, because I’m also polishing off
“The Creative Act: A Way of Being” by Rick Rubin. It was a birthday gift from a dear friend of 25 years — an amazing, award-winning director and cinematographer who I highly respect and admire. Such a good book and great gift. Rick Rubin has a way of making us think differently about creativity. Brilliant book. I’ll be back with thoughts on this one too. SO GOOD.

Disclaimer: This article reflects my personal observations and experiences. It is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, legal, tax, or investment advice.

This is the final installment of a four-part series on how sync placements pay.
Part 1: Why there’s no rate card and the five factors that move the number.
Part 2: advertising, gaming, sports, and animation — the top-tier rate categories.
Part 3: Network TV, streaming, backend royalties, and the ownership examples that changed the conversation.
Catch the full 4-part series @ thisisyourluckybreak.com.

We made it to Part 4! I’m so happy you’re here. Thanks for coming along on this journey with me.

I saved this one for last intentionally — because film is the most variable rate tier of all, and it deserves the special red carpet treatment. Yes, I said it.

Film is not one “thing”; it can encompass more than one type of outlet, which, in turn, changes the pay-rate dynamics. In terms of financial realities, a student film versus a studio blockbuster film is so different that they don’t belong in the same conversation. If you’re an artist, a composer, or a music professional navigating this space, understanding those distinctions before you walk into a negotiation is the difference between knowing your worth and leaving money on the table.

Let’s break it down.

Tier 7: Film — The Most Variable Tier of All

Film sync fees depend on the type of film, the production budget, who the artist is, and how the music is being used. Before we talk numbers, let’s establish the landscape — because each of these categories operates under completely different financial realities:

• Short films — student projects, festival submissions, passion projects. Music budgets are usually nonexistent or minimal at best.

  

• Micro-budget and independent feature films — made outside the studio system, often with skeleton crews and, again, music budgets are nonexistent or minimal at best. These usually start with film festival rights to keep costs low.

  

• Documentary films — considered a feature film format, with their own distinct budget structures and sync norms. Usually tight budgets, though this depends heavily on the production company and where the film is being distributed.

  

• Mid-budget independent films — with real distribution attached, either pre-sale or post-festival acquisition. Budgets can vary significantly depending on the production and distribution company.

  

• Studio and blockbuster films — major studio productions with full music budgets and a music supervisor and music team on staff.

  

Here’s why these distinctions matter: filmmakers typically allocate anywhere from 1% to 10% of their total production budget to cover all music costs. That single pool has to cover the original score, sync licenses, music supervision fees, clearance and licensing team fees, session musicians, recording studios, and more. When the total budget is $300,000, the music budget gets stretched thin fast — and composers are often making music for the love of it. Which, honestly… kind of sucks.

Considering music is a major part of the storytelling process, you’d think the music budget would naturally be higher. You can’t have a motion picture without music. Have you ever watched a movie without music? No, I didn’t think so.

Some filmmakers really respect and honor the music in their films, and they understand the reality of how music helps make the film’s story truly shine and emotionally connect with the audience. And then there are the folks who slam it to the bottom of the budget and try to slide by without taking into account that music needs to be respected and taken seriously.

Film Composers and Original Scores

Here’s something I’ve seen consistently, especially at the independent and documentary levels: many films — particularly indie features and documentaries — hire a composer to score the entire film rather than licensing pre-existing tracks. It’s often more economical, it gives the director complete creative control, and it sidesteps the complexity of clearing multiple rights holders.

Composers on film projects are typically hired under what’s called a “package deal” — one flat fee that covers everything: their personal creative fee, hiring live session musicians, studio time, mixing, and mastering. Whatever is left after those expenses is the composer’s profit. It’s a model that puts real financial pressure on composers, especially at the lower budget tiers.

Here are some examples of what those package fees might look like — these rates fluctuate depending on the project, so don’t take numbers as a set rate:

A general industry baseline: budget roughly $1,000 per finished minute of music as a starting point for a professional composer. That number scales up quickly on a feature. But again, this is a general rate, and this can fluctuate depending on the project and production company.

Sync Licensing for Pre-Existing Tracks in Film

When a music supervisor is brought on to source existing music — which is where much of my experience lives — generally the process starts with identifying the right tracks for the right scenes, then clearing the rights. You probably already know this, but I’m going to repeat it: every song requires two separate licenses:

• Master Use License — paid to whoever controls the recording (label, artist, or both)

• Synchronization License — paid to the publisher or songwriter for the composition

Standard practice is MFN — Most Favored Nations — meaning both sides receive equal fees. If you own both your master and your publishing, you collect both sides. Simple, clean, and significantly more valuable.

Here’s how sync fees break down by film type:

Festival rights only — if a film hasn’t secured distribution yet and is heading to the festival circuit, rights holders can negotiate a limited festival-only license, typically ranging from $250 to $1,500 all-in. But here’s the catch: if that film gets acquired by a studio or streamer for wide distribution, the production must come back to the table and renegotiate at full distribution rates. Make sure that’s in the contract before you sign anything.

Independent film with distribution — for emerging or mid-level independent artists, a placement in a distributed indie film typically ranges from $500 to $15,000 per song. This is real, meaningful money, and these placements happen regularly for artists who are sync-ready.

Studio films and well-known catalog tracks — this is where the numbers jump significantly. A famous song in a studio film can range from $20,000 to $60,000 or more per track. Major historical recordings — think The Beatles, Queen, iconic catalog from the 70s and 80s — can easily reach $100,000 to $250,000+ for a single placement. Those rights holders know exactly what their catalog is worth, and they negotiate accordingly.

Film trailers — I keep coming back to this point across every tier because it keeps being true: trailer rights are negotiated separately, and they pay more. Trailers are classified as promotional advertising, which drives the commercial value up significantly. Film trailer sync fees typically range from $5,000 to $150,000 or more, even for tracks that would command a fraction of that for an in-film placement. If someone approaches you about a trailer, treat it like its own separate deal — because it is.

AWARDS TIP: Here's a little-known fact... most people outside the industry don’t know — and even some insiders might forget: if a filmmaker wants their film to be eligible for the Oscars or other major awards, they are required to screen it in a commercial movie theater — not just a film festival — for a minimum of seven consecutive days in one of six qualifying U.S. cities: Los Angeles, New York, the Bay Area, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, or Atlanta. For features, that means a minimum of three screenings a day, with at least one in the evening prime-time slot. Short films face similar city rules, though they only require one screening a day. And here’s the kicker — many independent filmmakers actually pay the theater directly to make this happen. Some indie theaters even offer official Oscar-qualifying packages. The Roxie Theater in San Francisco, for example, charges up to $950 to get a short film into one of these qualifying weeks. Larger markets and feature-length slots cost considerably more.

Why does this matter for music? Because that theatrical qualifying run is a paid public exhibition — not a film festival — and festival rights don’t cover it. If your music is in that film, the filmmaker needs to come back to the table and renegotiate a theatrical license before that run happens. And if the film is generating Oscar buzz at that point? First off - congratulations! And your rate just increased. For composers working under a package deal, a theatrical run also triggers performance royalties through ASCAP and BMI that may not have been part of the original conversation. Bottom line — what starts as a festival placement can quietly become something much bigger. Make sure you keep track of your projects and include any potential format changes in your contract.

The Reality of Film Production Right Now

We all know where the film business stands today. Production has slowed considerably. COVID hit the industry hard, and the strikes compounded it further. The majors want to produce content at a lower cost and are searching for ways to do that, which include using AI and finding content on other platforms. The headlines are scary, stating that Hollywood is falling into an abyss, while people and companies are holding on to the hope that the business will come back sooner rather than later. We all have friends who have had to look for jobs in other industries while waiting for the industry to recover. The pipeline is thinner than it was a few years ago, and competition is real for everyone in the room — production companies, crews, composers, music supervisors, plus music libraries and artists pitching for placements.

That said, I refuse to give up hope! I believe film remains a meaningful opportunity — particularly for composers and independent artists who are sync-ready, have their rights in order, and are working with a music library or sync agent who can get their music in front of the right people and projects. A well-placed track in a festival darling that gets picked up can change the trajectory of a career. The exposure is real. The backend streaming bump is real. And if you own your masters and your publishing, the financial upside follows. This has happened before, and I am staying positive that it will happen again… soon.

Know what type of film project before going into any negotiation.

A Final Lucky Note

Everything in this four-part series was meant to give readers a working framework of rates and the visual media — a map of the terrain, not a guarantee of what you’ll find when you get there.

The fee ranges I’ve shared are drawn from my own direct experience working across multiple formats and projects, publicly available industry data, and published benchmarks from IFPI, the RIAA, Billboard, ASCAP, BMI, and current sync licensing guides from 2025 and 2026. They reflect directional ranges — not guarantees.

Every deal is negotiated individually, and your outcome will depend on the factors we covered in Part 1. If you didn’t read it, what are you doing here? Go back and read it! Here’s the link:
https://open.substack.com/pub/thisisyourluckybreak/p/diary-of-a-music-supervisor-entry?r=4c6j52&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

There is no industry rate card. There never has been. What these tiers give you is context — so you walk into a conversation knowing roughly where the ceiling and floor are, not so you pull a number out of thin air and call it market rate. Everything is negotiable.

Use this as your starting point. Do your research. Know your worth. And if you’re ever sitting across from someone negotiating a deal, make sure you — or someone who knows this business — understand what you're signing before you sign it.

That’s what This Is Your Lucky Break is here for.

Have a question you want me to answer in a future Diary of a Music Supervisor or This Is Your Lucky Break? Drop it in the comments. I read everything.

If someone in your world needs to hear this, feel free to share it.

Look forward to seeing you next week!
Jacquie Lucky

This Is Your Lucky Break | thisisyourluckybreak.com
New every Wednesday-ish.

For deeper reporting on music industry revenue trends, publishing data, and sync market analysis, visit American Music + Media — where I serve as Publisher and Editor-in-Chief.

At AMM, we covered the National Music Publishers’ Association's 2025 report that the publishing business has grown to over $7 billion, with consistent year-over-year growth showing no signs of slowing. (Check out the AMM news report here: https://open.substack.com/pub/americanmusicmedia/p/amm-playback-sync-news-in-60-seconds?r=57dhyp&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web)

If you want to understand where the money in music is going — and where it’s coming from — that’s the number you need to sit with. Subscribe >> amusicmedia.com

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Just joining the crew? This is Part 3 of a 4-part series. Part 1 covered the non-existent industry rate card and the five things that move the number. Part 2 broke down advertising, gaming, sports and a surprise — the top-tier money categories. Catch up at thisisyourluckybreak.com.

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One thing I’ve learned after years of supervising productions is that everyone walks into the room with a different definition of a “good deal.” Producers are protecting a budget. Artists are protecting their work. Publishers are protecting value. My job is to find the song that serves the story while making sure everyone can walk away feeling they were treated fairly.

That’s a lot harder than it sounds. After years of doing it, I’ve noticed a few patterns.

It also changes how I look at network television, streaming, backends, and licensing in general.

Who said music supervision was sexy?!

Network + Cable Television + the Backend

One thing that always makes me smile is when artists get excited because I say “Netflix.” But actually, network television is usually a better medium for music. Those aren’t always the same conversation financially for an artist.

Network TV — ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox — is good money. But here’s the part some people don’t know or get confused, and it’s the part that matters most over time:

There are backend royalties from network placements. That’s one of the biggest advantages of broadcast television.

When I find out a project is headed to network television, I think: what’s the music budget today, and what kind of long-term income could this placement generate for the artist?

When music airs on a broadcast network, it’s considered a “public performance” and the PRO — ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC — collects performance royalties every time that episode airs. That’s recurring passive income. That track works long after the deal is signed and the upfront check is cashed. A show that runs for multiple seasons, gets picked up in syndication, or airs internationally can keep generating royalty income for years.

But here’s the catch: payment only happens if the paperwork is flawless. There can be absolutely no mistakes. If the production company forgets to file the cue sheet—the official document listing every song used in an episode—then the PRO won't know the performance exists or the use exists. And that’s a horrible situation to be in, and I just spoke recently to a composer about something very similar.

If I could teach every artist, composer, or songwriter one boring topic, it would be cue sheets. Yes, I said it. And thanks to BMI for this example:

Nobody gets excited about cue sheets (except my friend Dawn!).

Everybody gets excited about getting paid, though.

I’ve seen far too many people assume everything was handled, only to discover months or even years later that a cue sheet was never filed or contained errors. If one small detail is wrong, it can delay or even prevent payments altogether.

My thoughts on this? Follow up. Then follow up again. Confirm the cue sheet was submitted correctly while the placement is still fresh. I’ve had clients spend weeks and years (yes, years!) tracking down missing cue sheets years later, and trust me—that’s a headache no one wants.

One of the first lessons I learned early in my career is that cable and network television produce very different royalty outcomes.

Cable television royalty structure is different and often generates significantly lower, if any, backend income than broadcast television. This completely changed how I thought about the relative value of a network placement versus a cable placement — even when the upfront fees look similar.

Here’s another scenario: if a network show ends up streaming on, let’s say, Hulu or Netflix, the nature of the “performance” changes from broadcast to digital transmission. Which is not the same type of broadcast performance money every time someone hits play. They’re covered under a different royalty structure. It’s just something to understand when looking at the long-term value of a placement.

Streaming OTT (Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV++)

I’ve lost count of how many times someone has called me after landing a Netflix placement, expecting life-changing money. I’ve worked on productions that streamed on Netflix, and I’ve seen the numbers firsthand. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it isn’t.

Here’s the myth: Netflix is a global platform with hundreds of millions of subscribers, so the sync fees must be massive.

Not necessarily.

I’ve licensed music for productions that streamed on Netflix, and some of the fees were far more modest than people imagine.

One thing that's easy to overlook is that the Netflix logo doesn't tell you how a project was financed. Many Netflix Originals are produced by independent production companies with their own budgets, which means music spending can vary dramatically from one show to the next. A general overview includes the producers, showrunners, in-house music supervisors, and legal departments, who all have a say in how that budget gets spent. A hit series with a healthy music budget is a very different conversation from a smaller production that might only get (let’s say) $20,000 for music for the entire project, even though both carry the Netflix logo.

From my experience, here’s how these deals typically break down for independent and mid-level artists, assuming standard worldwide, all-media, perpetual rights — which is what OTT platforms typically require because of how global distribution works:

Background or source music — music playing from a car radio, a jukebox, faintly in a club scene — on average runs $500 to $5,000 per side.

Featured or montage placements — where the song is actively driving a scene, an emotional sequence, or an action moment with real screen presence — can range from $2,000 to $45,000 per side.

Episodic theme songs — the main title theme heard at the beginning of each episode — are rarer, but when they happen, they average $20,000 to $75,000 or more. If an indie track perfectly captures a show’s identity, a showrunner may choose it over a legacy recording specifically to preserve budget. Or if a showrunner falls in “temp love” with a track, they might need to “get” the producers to allocate the cash to pay for it.

Unlike traditional broadcast television, the long-term backend opportunities are often much more limited, so it’s important to understand exactly what rights are being licensed and what the return is.

The “Stranger Things” Effect

One thing that can change the picture dramatically is who owns the music.

When Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” was used as a plot-driving force throughout Stranger Things Season 4 in 2022, the song hit #1 on the Billboard Global 200 and crossed a billion Spotify streams. Because Bush controls both her master recordings and publishing through her own company, she reportedly earned millions from the song’s resurgence after the series aired.

Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” — featured in the same season in that unforgettable Eddie Munson scene — had a similar moment. Because Metallica also owns its masters, the band’s income stayed largely in-house.

These are outlier examples — nobody knows when lightning like that will strike. But they illustrate something crucial: the artists who capture the greatest financial upside from a viral moment are usually the ones who own their work.

Wrapping It Up

At the end of the day, through all the projects and negotiations I’ve been part of, I still come back to the same thought. Every placement has its own business reality, but every one represents an opportunity for a song to find its audience. Sometimes that’s a network television show. Sometimes it’s a Netflix series. Sometimes it’s a production library, an indie film, or a commercial. You just never know which one will connect in a way nobody expected.

The thrill of finding and placing the right piece of music to help bring a story to life is worth every moment. When that happens, a little magic takes over.

I’ve learned that some of the greatest opportunities don’t come with the biggest upfront check, and some of the biggest platforms don’t always produce the biggest payday. But I’ve also seen what can happen when the right song finds the right home. Nobody could have predicted what happened with Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” after Stranger Things. I’ve loved that song since it first came out! It’s also a reminder that great music can find a whole new audience decades later. That’s part of the magic of this—you never really know what’s around the corner.

Thanks for spending a little time with me this week. Until next Wednesday... have a Happy and Safe Fourth of July weekend!

— Jacquie Lucky

Next Wednesday, it’s all about film. We’ll talk rights, deals, and what I’ve seen change in production since COVID and the strikes. I’ll also share a few things I’ve learned after years of watching projects make the long journey from script to screen. I’d love to pull back the curtain on that… 😉 I look forward to seeing you then!

This Is Your Lucky Break | thisisyourluckybreak.com
@thisisyourluckybreak
New every Wednesday.

Share This Is Your Lucky Break with Jacquie Lucky

For deeper reporting on music industry revenue trends, publishing data, and sync market analysis, visit American Music + Media — where I serve as Publisher and Editor-in-Chief.

Subscribe >> amusicmedia.com

If you missed Part 1, I broke down why there is not a standard sync rate card in the business, the factors that determine how much you get paid, and why owning your work is essential. Catch up at https://thisisyourluckybreak.substack.com

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Dear Friends — welcome back to my music sup diary, where I write about the things I think about and sometimes say out loud. 😂

Last week, I laid the foundation. This week, we’re getting into the money — and where the biggest sync payouts live.

There’s an unofficial hierarchy that sync professionals understand. The top of that hierarchy isn’t where most artists are focused, and it’s not what people new to the business are typically told to pursue. Let’s fix that.

Tier 1: Advertising & Commercials — The Biggest $$

Advertising is top dog. Full stop.

I’ve watched artists/composers and sync pros pour everything into landing a Film or TV placement while completely overlooking the category that could actually change their financial lives. If your music is in a major brand campaign — a national TV spot, a global product launch, a franchise promotion — you are in the room where the real money is.

Here’s why: when a brand attaches a song to a major campaign, that music stops being background and becomes the brand itself. It lives in the TV spot, the digital ads, the social content, the in-store experience, the promotions — everywhere, simultaneously. The song becomes the emotional shorthand for whatever they’re selling. That is not a small ask, and the fees reflect it. We’re talking approximately $15,000 to $250,000 for a national TV commercial placement. Major global brand campaigns can run $100,000 to $500,000 and well beyond. Every deal is different — but the numbers are real.

And here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough — advertising doesn’t just pay well upfront, it can literally resurrect a career. Empire of the Sun released “Walking On A Dream” back in 2008. Great song. Did well. Then Honda used it in a Civic commercial in 2016 — and that track came back to life. Charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Years after its original release. That is the power of a brand campaign done right. The sync fee is only part of the story.

Super Bowl commercials.

Brands and agencies start building their next Super Bowl campaigns almost immediately after the current one airs. That’s not an exaggeration. This is the most-watched televised event in the United States — it’s practically a national holiday. People who don’t follow football might tune in specifically for the commercials. The ads get reviewed, ranked, and debated like the game itself. If you haven’t seen these, there are actual television specials that break down and showcase the history of Super Bowl commercials. Yes! This is not for the weak at heart.

In fact, here’s what’s happening right now that tells you everything about the stakes: Super Bowl LXI in 2027 is being broadcast for the first time by ESPN, simulcast on ABC — Disney’s first Super Bowl in over a decade. Apparently, Disney came to market asking $10 million for a single 30-second spot. Ten million dollars. Thirty seconds. I’ve heard they’ve since negotiated closer to $8 million, and brands are still buying. When the media buy alone costs $8 million for half a minute, the song they chose and the music budget for that commercial is not an afterthought. Not even close. This is a huge moment for the brand, the artist, and their music.

Note on the Super Bowl halftime show — see sync in sports below. This is a separate conversation, separate budget, separate universe from Super Bowl commercials.

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Tier 2: The Billion-Dollar Gamingverse

This industry generates billions, and the AAA titles — the blockbusters of the gaming world, think GTA, Fortnite, the massive productions with budgets to match — treat music as essential infrastructure. Not decoration. The music fuels the player, deepens the experience, and extends the session. These companies understand that deeply, and their music budgets reflect it. If you've played GTA, Fortnite, or any of the major titles — YK.

The development in gaming has such an interesting history, and it’s imperative to understand how it unfolded into the billion-dollar industry that it is today.

Here’s what a lot of people don’t know — music wasn’t always part of gaming. It started as literal bleeps and bloops, purely functional, barely there - made by engineers. Do any Gen Xers out there remember? The moment everything changed was when technology expanded, and the gaming industry realized music didn’t just accompany gameplay — it altered the psychology of it. And nobody understood that earlier, or used it more strategically, than Steve Schnur at EA, who essentially turned Madden NFL and FIFA into the most powerful music discovery platforms on the planet — launching artists like The Weeknd, Imagine Dragons, and Florence + the Machine before radio knew their names.

And then there’s what Fortnite did — because it changed everything.

Epic Games invented a new category: the in-game live event. A virtual concert, inside the game world, in real time, with millions of players watching simultaneously. Travis Scott’s “Astronomical” event drew over 12 million concurrent players and approximately 27 million unique participants across five events. Industry sources have reported the full deal — performance, licensing, merchandise — in the range of $20 million, though exact terms, as always in this business, are confidential. For context: his entire 56-stop Astroworld tour earned approximately $53 million over four months of touring. One Fortnite event versus four months on the road.

Fortnite’s 2024 “Remix: The Finale” — Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Ice Spice, a posthumous tribute to Juice WRLD — broke that record. Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Metallica have all performed in-game. That roster is not a coincidence. It’s a signal.

Placement fees vary widely. A few hundred dollars at the indie level. $50,000 or more for a significant placement in a major title. Considerably higher for the right artist on the right franchise. Composers in this space often work under work-for-hire agreements — meaning they deliver the music, receive a flat fee, and retain no rights or backend royalties. Different model from licensing an existing track, but composers who specialize here build real, sustainable careers. It’s a legitimate lane and it’s still growing.

For independent artists looking to break in, here’s the intel — major gaming companies maintain deep relationships with major labels and established names. It’s a tight network. Not impossible, but tight.

The Gamingverse is getting its own dedicated diary entry. There is way too much here to contain in this itty-bitty diary overview.

Tier 3: Sports — Bigger Than You Think

Sports licensing doesn’t get talked about the way it should — and I find that puzzling, because the footprint is enormous and it’s a world unto itself.

Leagues, broadcast networks, highlight reels, stadium experiences, walk-up music, promotional campaigns, documentaries, global events — all of it runs on licensed music. And the backend on sports content is particularly compelling because sporting events and highlight packages air repeatedly. Performance royalties through ASCAP and BMI accumulate every time that content airs. That’s a revenue stream with real staying power.

Broadcast placements range from approximately $50 for a short background cue to $45,000 or more for featured usage on a major network — depending on duration, prominence, and audience size. In-stadium is its own world. Blanket licenses from the PROs cover general use, but any tracks synchronized to specific content — a jumbotron highlight package, a walk-up video, branded activations — require a separate negotiation directly with the publisher. Most people outside the business don’t know that distinction exists. Now you do.

Who Said Savannah Bananas? They have exploded onto the scene and have a great origin story. If you don’t know who they are, stop what you’re doing (after you read this!) and look them up. Entertainment-first touring baseball team, think the Harlem Globetrotters musical of baseball. Music is not background at their shows — music is a huge part of the show. And it’s a show. Players dance, perform choreographed routines, walk up to popular tracks woven into the entire live experience. They’ve sold out NFL stadiums, including Raymond James Stadium in Tampa in front of 65,000 fans, and they now have broadcast deals with ESPN, Disney+, and The CW. That broadcast footprint means serious sync obligations. A full deep-dive is coming to American Music + Media — and when I get the inside story on how they handle the music, you’ll hear it here first.

Sports documentaries deserve their own mention. The Last Dance. Beckham. Arnold. These productions license music exactly like any documentary — but they need era-defining tracks, the songs that were actually playing during those cultural moments. Rights holders for that catalog know exactly what they have. And they negotiate accordingly.

Last but not least - the Super Bowl halftime show. Performing there is an extraordinary honor, but it is famously not the biggest performance payday relative to what these artists command elsewhere. What it is, without question, is the single most valuable promotional platform in music. Streaming surges, catalog spikes, and cultural moments that reach people who hadn’t thought about that artist in years — or ever. Kendrick Lamar at the 2025 halftime show went from critically celebrated to mainstream cultural force in one night. This story gets its own diary entry. Stay tuned.

More Sync in Sports is coming as its own dedicated series to soon!

Tier 4: Animation — Who Knew? Not me.

As I write this, many of our industry colleagues are gathered in Annecy, France, for the world’s largest animation festival. The business market, MIFA, wraps June 26th — and what’s coming out of those conversations is illuminating something the broader industry has been slow to fully reckon with. Animation has quietly become one of the most lucrative sync categories in the business. Sitting right alongside gaming and advertising. And I have not heard anyone talking about it around the water cooler.

We hear “animated film,” and we think it’s adjacent to regular film. No, it is not! Well, it is, but it isn’t. A major animated tentpole is not just a movie — it’s a franchise launch. The music doesn’t just score scenes. It becomes the sonic identity of a property that will live across streaming, consumer products, theme parks, and social media for years. The song attached to that film isn’t doing one job. It’s doing twenty.

Think about what Justin Timberlake built with Trolls or what Pharrell created with the Despicable Me franchise. Those weren’t just fun, creative collaborations — they were major music deals with enormous commercial footprints. A flagship theme for a studio animated tentpole is frequently structured as a worldwide, all-media, perpetual buyout. The studio needs that music everywhere, forever. From what I’m hearing in industry conversations — and these are not published figures, just what people are actually talking about — placements at this level start well into the six figures for the right track. For a major artist attached to a global franchise? The number gets very interesting very fast. If you’ve negotiated one of these deals and want to share, my DMs are open. 👀

What makes animation uniquely demanding from a music supervisor’s perspective is the brief. The music has to be universally appealing, high-energy, completely clean — and still cool enough that parents don’t lose their minds on the third listen. (And trust me, there will be a third listen. And a thirtieth.) That brief pushes supervisors toward premium catalog — the multi-generational hits, the iconic artists, the songs with real cultural staying power. Publishers and labels that hold that catalog know exactly what they have. They hold their position. And they should.

Last but not least, the Marvel franchise universe. You thought I would forget? No way - this massive franchise universe model takes everything I just described and multiplies it. Marvel is the clearest example. The music strategy across the Marvel universe spans theatrical films, Disney+ series, animated content, games, theme parks, and global promotional campaigns simultaneously. That’s not a sync deal — that’s a long-term sonic partnership. The music supervisor operating at this level, the King of Marvel music - Dave Jordan, and his amazing team are managing one of the most valuable and complex music ecosystems in entertainment. When your song enters that world, it doesn’t just appear in a film. It enters a franchise-verse.

The result: a top-tier animated feature placement can rival advertising rates. I didn’t see that coming when I started writing this. Animation is getting its own full piece — a deep dive is warranted!

Next Wednesday, Part 3 covers another territory many artists focus on: television and streaming. I’ll break down network TV backend royalties, which Netflix pays less than people think, and what those Stranger Things music breakouts actually meant in dollars. Thanks for sharing my diary with me.

— Jacquie Lucky

@This Is Your Lucky Break | New every Wednesday.

For deeper reporting on music industry news, revenue trends, publishing data, and sync market analysis, visit American Music + Media — where I serve as Publisher and Editor-in-Chief.

Subscribe >> amusicmedia.com

On May 20, 2026, the company that has protected the Peanuts music catalog since the 1960s went on a one-day copyright lawsuit blitz.

Four federal lawsuits. Filed the same day.

Four. In one day.

Lee Mendelson Film Productions — the family-owned company founded by the late Lee Mendelson, the man who actually wrote the lyrics to “Christmas Time Is Here” — has owned and protected Vince Guaraldi’s Peanuts music catalog for over sixty years.

They sued a video game publisher, an auction house, a belt company, and the United States Department of the Interior.

Yes. A federal agency. Sued. Over “Linus and Lucy.”

This wasn’t sloppy — it was coordinated.

If you’ve ever wondered whether copyright law actually gets enforced, or whether the loose saying “everybody does it” (i.e., uses music without paying for it) holds up as a legal excuse — this is your answer.

Quick Clarification: “Peanuts” Characters vs the Music

Lee Mendelson Film Productions (LMFP) is not the same thing as Peanuts Worldwide LLC. Peanuts Worldwide owns the characters — Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the whole gang. LMFP owns the music. Two completely separate companies, two completely separate sets of rights. This happens more than anyone would like to admit. You can legally license Snoopy’s face—but get sued for the music underneath it without prior permission. In this situation specifically, this very important distinction can confuse people and the organizations they work for, and it’s exactly the kind of thing that gets companies sued.

The Four Lawsuits + The Breakdown

The U.S. Department of the Interior used Guaraldi’s arrangement of “O Tannenbaum” from A Charlie Brown Christmas as background music for a digital holiday card posted across their official social channels. No license.

A federal agency just... used it.

Which tells you this isn’t a “small company mistake” problem—it’s an “everyone assumes it’s fine until it isn’t” kind of problem.

GameMill Entertainment, the publisher behind 2025’s Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club, had properly licensed the characters from Peanuts Worldwide. But instead of also licensing the music from LMFP, the lawsuit alleges they hired composers to write tracks that sound suspiciously close to “Linus and Lucy” and “Skating” — close enough that players would think they were hearing the real thing. That’s not an oversight. That’s a workaround that every professional in this business recognizes. LMFP is seeking at least $300,000 in damages on this one alone.

Heritage Auctions used “Linus and Lucy” in Facebook and Instagram social media promo videos to hype an upcoming auction of vintage Peanuts collectibles. They used the music to sell Peanuts merchandise without paying the people who own the Peanuts music.

Buckle-Down Inc., a belt and apparel company that already makes licensed Peanuts products, used the theme song in their social media ads — without the separate sync license that this would require. They had the character license. They didn’t have the music license. Two different rights.

Across all four, LMFP is seeking damages and a permanent injunction to pull the music immediately.

Stephen Colbert + CBS/Paramount+ In The Mix

Shortly after the lawsuits broke, Stephen Colbert brought this news story up on The Late Show. Mid-bit, his house band — Louis Cato & The Great Big Joy Machine — started playing “Linus and Lucy” live on air. Colbert looked at the camera and joked something like, “Oh no, I hope this doesn’t cost CBS any money.”

Oops. It did.

LMFP caught the broadcast. They thought it was funny too — and they enforced the copyright. CBS had to sign a licensing agreement and pay up, with the settlement officially wrapping up on June 16, 2026 — less than a month after the original filings. In a genuinely classy move, LMFP turned around and donated the entire settlement to José Andrés’s World Central Kitchen.

LMFP’s chairman, Jason Mendelson, put it plainly: their enforcement strategy is partly about educating people on the need for written license agreements before using music commercially.

Why Isn’t This in the Public Domain by Now?

Some of you might be wondering, so let’s clear it up: Guaraldi’s Peanuts music is from the 1960s — why isn’t it free to use after all this time?

Here’s the rule: in the United States, corporately-owned copyrighted works enter the public domain 95 years after publication. Either way, Peanuts music isn’t close to that line. This music stays fully protected for decades. So if someone tells you, “It’s old enough, it should be free by now,” they don’t understand how copyright law actually works. Or it’s wishful thinking. This misunderstanding is exactly how you end up named in a federal lawsuit next to the Department of the Interior.

Looking at This From Both Sides

I’ve spent thirty years in this business — on both the licensing and supervision sides, plus the “I need this exact song, but it’s going to be a problem” side.

Here’s both sides:

From the rights holder’s side (Publishers and Master Rights):
I understand the aggressive posture to protect the works. Iconic catalogs get targeted because they’re iconic — they deliver instant nostalgia, and plenty of people assume a track this famous and old is somehow exempt from the copyright laws everyone else follows. It’s not. They’re protecting a legacy catalog; they owe it to the composer’s estate and the integrity of the work to enforce those rights. I’ve worked with libraries that are incredibly strict about clearance, and frankly, I understand exactly why.

From the music users’ side (Licensees):
It’s not usually some master plan to dodge licensing. And, sometimes it is.

Here’s how this usually happens: someone on a marketing team is told to post social media content for their company. If they haven’t been taught how licensing actually works, they don’t realize that using music in marketing or promotional content requires permission.

Most platforms have their own licensing deals—but those don’t automatically cover commercial use for brands. Sometimes a company has a blanket license or an in-house library. Sometimes they need a custom track. Then they need to license it properly.

Just because someone in the company doesn’t know they need to license music isn’t an excuse. Not knowing doesn’t protect the organization—but it does mean education matters just as much as enforcement. That’s why companies that use music in-house need to hire music licensing professionals to ensure the integrity of the project is done right. Then they won’t be sued for more money than if they had just licensed it in the first place.

That’s why LMFP’s chairman framed this as partly educational. And it’s exactly why I do what I do. Learn from this so you’re not next.

Part 2 next Friday: I’m breaking down exactly what to do—step by step—whether you’re the one sending the letter or the one receiving it.

Same time, same place.
— Jacquie Lucky
@jacquieslucky

This Is Your Lucky Break by Jacquie Lucky
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Let me break this question down right up front, because this is a common question and I want to make this as easy as possible:

Nobody can tell you exactly how much a sync placement pays. Because there is no standard industry rate card.

Not one. Not anywhere.

And that’s one of the things that makes this business both frustrating and fascinating.

Music libraries have their own internal rate cards. But beyond that? Every deal is different. Every budget is different. Every artist is different. Every composer is different. Every project is different. Anyone who hands you a clean, tidy number and says, “This is what everyone makes” — they’re either oversimplifying or they’ve never negotiated one of these deals.

I have sat across the table. Many, many times.

What I can tell you — from years of working as a music supervisor and as the head of licensing for a music library — is that while there is no standard industry rate card, there is an unofficial media “tier” system of sorts. I just made that term up, so go with me on this. But professionals in the business know how it works. They operate by it. And once you understand it, you’ll have a much clearer picture of where the real sync money lives. It’s basically about understanding which areas of media pay the most for music.

First things first: when people talk about “sync,” they’re talking about synchronization — pairing music with visual media. Television. Film. Commercials. Sports. Video games. Streaming platforms. Social media. If music and picture come together, that’s sync.

Sometimes those placements generate upfront fees. Sometimes they generate backend royalties. Sometimes both. And sometimes the numbers surprise people — for better or worse.

Why This Information Is Not Optional

I get asked some version of this question all the time:

“How much does Netflix pay?”

“What’s a commercial worth?”

“What should I charge?”

The answer everyone hates is the same answer I always give:

It depends.

Whether you’re a well-known recording artist, an independent composer, or a media or business professional grinding in the background — this information is essential if you are in the sync and publishing business.

Let’s acknowledge something upfront: everyone in the sync chain is getting a cut. The record label, the publisher, the library, the sync agent, and the PRO (Performing Rights Organization). And if you don’t understand where the money lives and how it moves, you could leave money on the table — every time. Not because people are necessarily trying to take advantage of you, but because this business rewards the people who show up prepared and understand the business behind the music.

The artists and composers who do well in sync over the long term are the ones who treat it like a business, not an afterthought. They know their rights. They know their splits. They understand which visual media their music is most likely to land in and why. That knowledge doesn’t come from a single article — it comes from years in the room. But it has to start somewhere.

This is your somewhere.

The Five Things That Actually Move the Number

Before we get into the tiers, let’s establish the fundamentals — because these five factors apply across every single category of sync, no matter the medium.

1. How big is the song? A culturally iconic track commands a premium. A lesser-known indie track does not — but it’s also more accessible to more projects. Where does yours sit?

2. How big is the artist or composer? Your profile and negotiating history matter. A first-time independent artist and a Grammy-winning catalog artist are not walking into the same negotiation. This is also why representation matters — who’s in the room on your behalf changes the outcome.

3. How big is the media buy? The bigger the advertising campaign or distribution reach, the higher the fee. A global Super Bowl commercial and a regional car dealership spot are not the same conversation.

4. How big is the production budget? A studio blockbuster and an indie documentary filmmaker are operating in completely different financial realities. The music budget is typically a percentage of the total production budget — so when the overall budget is small, the music budget is small.

5. How badly do they want it? This is the one nobody talks about. If a director has built an entire scene around your track — what we call “temp love” in the business — and they simply cannot imagine the scene without it, you have real leverage. Use it.

And one more that deserves acknowledgement: who’s representing you? Whether your music lives at a record label, a music library, or with a publisher directly affects how deals get negotiated and what you ultimately see on the other end.

The Lucky Break Tip: Make Your Music Easy to Clear

In the business, we call this “one-stop.”

One-stop licensing means you own both your master recording and your publishing — no samples, no unresolved splits, no twenty co-writers to track down. This is genuinely valuable to music supervisors, legal and business affairs teams, directors, editors, consumer brands, and advertising agencies. When a music supervisor finds the right track and can clear it in one conversation, that is a gift.

I once tried to license a well-known hip-hop track for a feature film title sequence. The song was perfect. The director loved it. But we couldn’t use it because the clearances were too complicated, and the number of writers made the deal nearly impossible to close. That was a real loss — for the filmmaker and for the artists.

If you’re sampling other people’s work, get those rights cleared and documented before you start pitching. Consult an entertainment attorney when necessary. If you’re a co-writer, get your splits in writing before you release anything. The artists who move fast in sync are the ones who can say: I own it, it’s clear, here’s the paperwork.

Taylor Swift’s very public fight to regain control of her catalog reminded the entire industry how valuable ownership really is. The lesson is the same whether you’re a global superstar or an independent artist with a catalog of fifty tracks: own your work, know your rights, and make it easy to say yes.

This is not something you learn overnight. It comes with time, with experience, and with having made a few mistakes along the way. But now you know where to start.

A Note on the Numbers in This Series

Throughout this four-part series, I’ll be sharing typical fee ranges across different media. I want to be clear about something important before we go any further:

Everything in this series is meant to give you a working framework — a map of the terrain, not a guarantee of what you’ll find when you get there. The fee ranges I share are drawn from my own experience working across multiple formats and projects, publicly available industry data, and published benchmarks, including reporting from IFPI, the RIAA, Billboard, ASCAP, BMI, and current sync licensing guides from 2025 and 2026. They reflect directional ranges — not guarantees.

Every deal is negotiated individually. Your actual outcome will depend on many of the factors we just covered.

There is no rate card. There never has been.

What these tiers give you is context — so you walk into a conversation with an understanding of roughly where the ceiling and floor are.

Use this as your starting point. Do your research. Know your worth. And if you’re ever sitting across the table negotiating a deal, make sure you — or someone who knows this business — understands what you’re signing before you sign it.

Next Wednesday, we’ll continue with Part 2 of this series — and we’re going straight to the top of the “tier” system: advertising, commercials, gaming, and sports. These are the categories where some of the biggest sync checks live, and I’ll explain why.

— Jacquie Lucky

This Is Your Lucky Break
New every Wednesday and Friday
thisisyourluckybreak.com

For deeper reporting on music industry revenue trends, publishing data, and sync market analysis, visit American Music + Media, where I serve as Publisher and Editor-in-Chief.

American Music + Media - Subscribe >> amusicmedia.com

I’m Jacquie Lucky 🍀 — a music and media executive, music supervisor, marketing, sync and licensing strategist, and the publisher/editor of American Music + Media (@americanmusicmedia).

I don’t usually find myself writing my thoughts down publicly unless I’m journaling, writing an article or notes, or sending emails, so I’m looking forward to finding my writing wheelhouse here. So bear with me.

And with that said, it’s an absolute pleasure to meet you. Thank you for stopping by.

After more than 30 years working in the music business, I’ve decided to start sharing my experience, strength, and hope to help support and guide the next generation of amazing artists, composers, creatives, and aspiring music professionals trying to navigate this mysterious business.

Some of you reading this may already know me from different corners of the music and media world, and some of you may be wondering who the heck I am — and honestly, that’s completely fair. The music business is a funny place like that. Some people cross paths for decades, while others somehow never meet at all.

My hope and intention is to give you the real and raw — the things you need to know if you’re embarking on a career in this creative industry.

The music business is one of the most fascinating, creative, inspiring, chaotic, emotional, confusing, exciting, heartbreaking, and mysterious industries on Earth.

And unless you’ve actually worked on the inside, most people have absolutely no idea how many moving parts are constantly happening behind the scenes.

Funny as this might sound - some of the people inside the business don’t fully understand how all the pieces connect. It takes years to understand how the different areas intertwine and work together to keep this industry moving.

That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to start “This Is Your Lucky Break.” 🍀

I feel this insider information is important to share because I didn’t know how to get started or who to ask for help. I didn’t know anyone in the business, so there was no one to turn to. There wasn’t a music business welcoming committee greeting me saying:

“Welcome! We’re so excited you got the job. Now let us walk you through how to navigate and understand the music business.”

Sorry to burst anyone’s bubble, but that doesn’t happen. The welcoming committee was apparently fired.

And imagine this - 30 years ago, there was no Google, no YouTube, no ChatGPT, and definitely no “how to break into the music industry” TikTok videos floating around at 2 a.m.

No music business college classes either.

I didn’t know anybody in the business. I came in cold. Like freezing cold.

But we had libraries.

Reference books.

Landlines.

And intuition.

It never occurred to me back when I embarked into this industry that there might actually be books written about the music business.

Fast forward I found out there are many fantastic books out there, and they absolutely can help educate you and give you a sense of what to expect. We’ll talk about all those! But even the best books still don’t replace firsthand experience and guidance from people who have actually lived it.

This business can be terrifying without a support system, a mentor, or someone who understands the ups and downs, the highs and lows, the successes and failures. That’s true in any career path — not just music.

After all these years, I realized something important:

There are so many talented artists, composers, managers, agents, creatives, aspiring executives, and auxiliary  professionals (who are tied in to this industry) all trying to figure out how this business really works… especially the sync, publishing, and licensing side, and a lot of the information out there either feels overly polished, corporate, outdated, overwhelming, boring, not helpful, or disconnected from reality.

I want this to be a place where we can have real conversations about music, media, creativity, artists, composers, sync licensing, publishing, music supervision, marketing, film, television, commercials, branding, storytelling, working with creative professionals, and how this music business actually works behind the scenes.

That’s what “This Is Your Lucky Break” is. 🍀

🍀 We’re going to talk about:

- sync licensing

- publishing

- music for film and television

- music for online games

- music for commercials, advertising, and trailers

- networking

- music marketing, promotion, and brand partnerships

- artists and composers

- artist development

- creative direction

- industry politics

- storytelling

- career pivots

- burnout and mental health

- reinvention

- creativity

- AI

- and all the strange little things nobody tells you until you’re already in the room.

So tell me:

🍀What would you like to know about the music business?

🍀What are you curious about?

🍀What do you wish someone would explain more clearly?

Leave a comment, send this to a friend, and feel free to share your own story too. I’d love to hear it.

I plan on posting here at least once a week, if not more.

I look forward to continuing this conversation. We have a lot to talk about!

Cheers!

— Jacquie Lucky 🍀

(photo credit: AP News)

For several years, I went to Sundance with my son—just being there felt like you were stepping into something magical. A feeling that you can’t fully explain until you see it and live it. We met strangers who became friends, and witnessed unheard voices being brought into the spotlight. I saw Robert Redford at many of the main events—he didn’t hide in the background. His presence was everywhere.

He founded the Sundance Institute in 1981, a nonprofit organization dedicated to discovering, supporting, and inspiring independent artists and storytellers. The Sundance Institute also offers programs, labs, mentorships, grant opportunities, and artistic development for filmmakers, composers, playwrights, and other artists. He co-founded The Redford Center (in 2005), with his son James, to focus on environmental impact filmmaking—helping produce, grant, and support films that raise awareness and push toward environmental and climate justice. He was active in environmental causes more broadly—supporting conservation, renewable energy, native lands, and Indigenous issues. He also supported causes around justice, human rights, storytelling as activism—for example, through the Documentary Fund and partnerships (Open Society Foundations, etc.) to help filmmakers tell stories of injustice.

My favorite Robert Redford movies (I don’t think I’ve seen them all) are these top three: "Three Days of the Condor," "The Natural," and "All the President’s Men" — to me, “All the President’s Men” is still my all-time fav. And Dustin Hoffman is incredible in it. If you haven’t seen any or all of those, check your nearest streaming platforms.

We’re planning to be at Sundance this January 2026. It won’t be the same without the man who imagined Sundance, who believed in the power of stories and people. But I believe his spirit will always be there. May his memory be a blessing.

That’s why I created:

This is a place where you can get real advice about how the business works—from your very first steps to the bigger moves that shape a career. No fluff, no smoke and mirrors, just straight answers and guidance you can actually use.

I’ve been in this world for more than 30+ years—radio, record labels, publishing, sync licensing, music supervision—and I’ve seen how overwhelming it can be. My goal here is simple: help you find clarity, avoid the traps, and move forward.

What you’ll get here:

• Advice and answers to your questions

• First-step roadmaps for artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs

• Insights into sync, publishing, brand partnerships, and beyond

• Stories and lessons from real industry experiences

This Is Your Lucky Break isn’t just a newsletter—it’s a platform. Coming soon, you’ll find a podcast, a YouTube channel, and social spaces all built around the same mission: helping people navigate this business without losing themselves along the way and creating a supportive community.

And if you want one-on-one consulting, great—we can do that. But first and foremost, this space is here to give you the tools, knowledge, and confidence to take your next step.

Welcome! Let’s do this together.

With gratitude and love,
Jacquie Lucky